Digital Commons Network^™

Straw As A Potential Vegetable Fibre Insulative Infill In Framed Constructions - Material Testing\Tnotereftnote1, Patrick Daly

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

The construction sector faces increasing pressure to reduce embodied carbon and adopt circular material strategies, with bio-based materials offering a promising pathway. Straw-based insulation, particularly in loose-fill form, has gained traction in Europe, where several products have achieved certification under EAD 040138-01-1201. This study investigates the potential of Irish-processed straw chip as a bio-based insulative infill for framed construction by evaluating its material properties and thermal conductivity–density performance relative to European ETA-certified reference products. A programme of laboratory testing was undertaken on commercially available Irish straw samples, including material characterisation (moisture content, particle morphology, and dust content) and thermal conductivity …

Development And Characterization Of Mycelium-Based Biocomposites From Ganoderma Lucidum Using Spent Yerba Mate And Residual Sunflower Oil For Sustainable Insulation In Construction, Paula V. Alfieri, Guadalupe Canosa

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

The construction industry urgently requires sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based insulation materials such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) and mineral wool. Mycelium-based biocomposites offer a promising solution by valorizing agricultural waste while delivering competitive thermal and acoustic performance. In this study, developed and characterized biocomposites using Ganoderma lucidum mycelium combined with spent yerba mate and residual sunflower oil (70 g/30 mL), both commonly generated as waste in Argentine institutions. Two formulations were evaluated: high density (HD: 280 ± 5 kg/m³) and low density (LD: 185 ± 5 kg/m³). Samples were cultivated for 90 days at 28 °C and 65% relative humidity and …

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Of Hemp Walls In Residential Construction In Morocco, Hicham Kaddouri, Rachida Elbarghmi, Firyal Latrache, Marwane Hammouti, Abderrahim Abidouche, Ismael Driouch

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study analyzes the energy and environmental performance of hemp-based wall solutions applied to Moroccan residential buildings by combining dynamic thermal simulation and life cycle assessment (LCA). A reference building is assessed under four representative Moroccan climates (Al Hoceima, Oujda, Marrakech, and Ouarzazate), comparing a conventional wall retrofitted with hemp plaster and a wall incorporating hemp concrete. The results show that hemp concrete significantly reduces annual heating and cooling energy demands by 20–24% depending on the climate, with heating needs decreasing by up to 40% and cooling needs by approximately 15%, particularly in hot and arid regions. The LCA reveals …

Performance Enhancement And Modeling Of Thermochemical Conversion Of Herbaceous And Hardwood Biomass Via Gasification With Integrated Sustainability Evaluation, Sanal Kumar Ap Mr

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the thermochemical conversion of three biomass feedstocks, namely Prosopis juliflora (PJ), Oryza sativa rice husk (RH), and Sesamum indicum stalk residue (SR), through experimental, simulation, and environmental analyses to evaluate their suitability for sustainable energy production. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was conducted under inert conditions at multiple heating rates to study the thermal degradation and kinetic behavior of the biomasses.

Activation energy was evaluated using Kissinger, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO), Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS), Friedman, and Coats–Redfern methods. The results indicated that SR exhibited the highest thermal stability, followed by RH and PJ. Experimental gasification studies were carried out in a throatless …

From Resource Mapping To Mechanism Identification: A Lunar Tethered-Satellite Exploration System And China’S Strategic Opportunities, Wei Yong, Zhiping He, Yanchu Yang, Ke Wang, Junqiang Zhu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Lunar exploration is undergoing a paradigm shift from resource mapping to mechanism identification. Key processes, such as the modulation of volatiles by magnetic anomalies and the contribution of Earth wind to surface hydration, require strictly synchronized observations of magnetic-field gradients, particle fluxes, spectrally detected volatiles, and subsurface hydrogen within the same spatiotemporal window. However, a still-unfilled “near-lunar-surface intermediate layer” gap exists between conventional single-spacecraft orbiters and landed rovers: the capability for multi-altitude, multi-parameter, strictly synchronized process observations. A tethered dual-satellite system, consisting of a main satellite and a subsatellite connected by a 5–10 km short tether, naturally provides a dual-altitude …

Designing Data Centers For Demand Response Through A Construction-Phase Readiness Index, Arezou Shafaghat, Da Hu, Ali Keyvanfar

Faculty Articles

AI-driven growth is pushing data-center electricity demand from 415 TWh (2024) toward 945 TWh by 2030. Demand-response research has matured on operational levers but treats the physical envelope as largely exogenous, leaving construction-phase decisions that bound achievable flexibility unmodeled. This article integrates three previously separate bodies of literature (data-center demand response, grid-interactive efficient buildings, and stochastic optimal control under irreversibility) into a single framework that prices construction-phase flexibility as a portfolio of real options, pairing elicitation-derived (FAHP) weights with simulation-derived (Sobol) variance indices. None of the individual techniques is new; the contribution is their synthesis and the finding that architectural …

Interstitial Fluid N-Glycans Serve As A Proxy For Serum Biomarker Discovery In A Pilot Study, Radka Saldova, Talus K. Gaymore, Caitriona Walsh, Eder Zavala, Paula M. Mendes

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Protein glycosylation is the most prevalent post-translational modification and is known to undergo profound alterations in disease. While serum N-glycosylation has been extensively studied, interstitial fluid is gaining prominence as a minimally invasive biomarker source, underscored by the widespread clinical adoption of wearable glucose monitors in diabetic patients. However, the glycomic landscape of interstitial fluid remains largely unexplored. Here, we have performed a comparative analysis of the N-glycome from interstitial fluid and matched plasma from five healthy volunteers using liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and exoglycosidase digestions. Strikingly, the interstitial fluid N-glycome closely shows overlapping profiles with the plasma of each …

Impact Of Asphalt Binder Chemical Composition On The Performance Of Asphalt Mixture., Sagar Parajuli

LSU Master's Theses

Asphalt binder is composed of four chemical fractions, namely, saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes (SARA). Binders with the same performance grade (PG) can exhibit different chemical compositions due to variability in crude oil sources and refining processes. The objective of this study was to evaluate how such chemical variations influence the mechanical performance of asphalt mixtures at high, intermediate and low temperatures.

Eighteen 12.5-mm nominal Maximum Aggregate Size mixtures were designed using two aggregate types (limestone and gravel), and three binder grades (PG 67-22, PG 70-22m and PG 76-22m), each from three different sources with varying chemical fractions. A suite …

From Shortage To Strategy: Optimizing Scarce Resource Allocation In Healthcare, Daniela Duran Cantarino

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The allocation of scarce medical resources presents one of the most consequential challenges in health care, requiring decisions that balance equity and efficiency under pervasive uncertainty. This dissertation develops optimization-based frameworks for two critical domains, organ transplantation and emergency medical services, and demonstrates how operations research methods can improve upon current practice along both dimensions simultaneously.

In the domain of deceased-donor kidney allocation, two complementary frameworks are proposed. The first is a bi-objective stochastic optimization model that jointly maximizes post-transplant survival (efficiency) and prioritizes candidates with the highest pre-transplant mortality risk (equity), subject to regional chance constraints on graft failure …

A Reduced-Order Framework For Stochastic Criticality Estimation In Granular Energetic Materials, Philip T. Melton

LSU Master's Theses

Granular energetic materials (EMs) exhibit stochastic shock initiation because pore collapse, frictional dissipation, and localized thermal activation depend on microstructural descriptors that vary between nominally identical samples. Fully resolved mesoscale and atomistic calculations can represent these mechanisms, but their computational cost limits direct ensemble evaluation of microstructure-conditioned criticality thresholds. This thesis introduces a reduced-order framework for stochastic criticality estimation in granular EMs by coupling five explicitly defined model components: first, a one-dimensional steady compaction-shock model that maps initial solid volume fraction and shock pressure to a bulk mass-specific dissipated-work budget; second, an SEM/synthetic-image segmentation workflow that extracts pore area, perimeter, …

Proceedings: Nownet Arts Conference 2019, Sarah Rose Weaver, Chris Chafe, Scott Oshiro, Margaret Schedel

Journal of Network Music and Arts

Proceedings of the 2nd Annual NowNet Arts Conference 2019 “Social Purpose in Contemporary Network Arts.” The conference was held November 7–10, 2019. The primary in-person site was the Institute for Advanced Computational Science (IACS), Stony Brook University. Satellite in-person sites included Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics at Stanford University, Edinburgh Napier University, Orpheus Institute in Belgium, and Electronic Studios at the Technical University, Berlin. More locations participated remotely via the internet.

Proceedings: Nownet Arts Conference 2018, Sarah Rose Weaver, Chris Chafe, Margaret Schedel, Min Xiao-Fen

Journal of Network Music and Arts

Proceedings of the NowNet Arts Conference 2018, “Network Music: Artistic and Technological Strategies for Public and Private Networks.” This was the first of the NowNet Arts Conferences, which have been held annually from 2018 to the present. The conference took place from April 19–22, 2018, at the Institute for Advanced Computational Science (IACS), Stony Brook University, and at multiple remote locations connected via the internet.

Listening Ahead Ever So Slightly, Chris Chafe, Mike Dickey

Journal of Network Music and Arts

This paper presents a novel packet loss concealment system called “Regulator,” designed for interactive network audio applications, particularly server-mediated “jam rooms” in the cloud, where large ensembles of musicians perform together synchronously. The system addresses the critical challenge of maintaining continuous high-quality audio output while minimizing latency penalties in unreliable network environments including Wi-Fi. The Regulator architecture combines four core components: a central Regulator class orchestrating packet loss concealment operations; a BurgAlgorithm class implementing maximum entropy autoregressive prediction to reconstruct missing audio samples; a Channel class providing per-channel independent modeling for multi-channel streams; and a RegulatorWorker class offering asynchronous processing …

Pulse Before Sound: Reimagining Presence And Liveness In Telematic Music Performance Through Midi-Native Collaboration, Matt C. Bray

Journal of Network Music and Arts

Telematic Music Performance heralds a new paradigm for human creativity, seeking to extend the practical limits imposed by physical co-presence and to permit the cooperative, simultaneous creation of music among geographically remote collaborators. This paper examines how MIDI-native interaction provides a structurally robust alternative to audio-centric telematic systems constrained by latency, bandwidth, and waveform fidelity. Drawing on practice-led research, including over 34 hours of documented improvisation across 91 networked sessions in the SHOALZ series—a longitudinal Telemidi performance research initiative (2022–2024)—the study examines how the Telemidi system employs MIDI as a primary substrate for remote musical collaboration by establishing a synchronized …

Efficient Edge Implementation Of Midasnet For Real-Time Depth Estimation In Indoor Robotics, Muhammed Yasi̇n Adiyaman, İsmai̇l Fai̇k Başkaya

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Real-time depth estimation is crucial in many vision-related tasks, including autonomous driving, 3D reconstruction, robotics, and simultaneous localization and mapping. In recent years, many methods have been proposed to solve depth maps from images by utilizing different modality setups like monocular vision, binocular vision, or sensor fusion. However, for real-time deployment on edge devices, complex methods are not suitable due to latency constraints and limited computation capacity. For edge implementation, models should be simple, minimal in size, and hardware-friendly. Considering these factors, we implemented MiDaSNet, which works on the simplest setup of monocular vision and utilizes hardware-friendly convolutional neural network-based …

Evolutionary Neural Architecture Search: A Survey, Ferda Nur Özçeli̇k, Mehmet Önder Efe

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) have achieved remarkable success across diverse machine learning applications, yet designing effective architectures remains a laborious, expert-driven process. Neural Architecture Search (NAS) was introduced to automate this process, with Evolutionary NAS (ENAS) emerging as one of the most effective and widely adopted NAS paradigms. This survey provides a comprehensive and systematic review of 164 ENAS studies published between 2020 and 2024, categorized according to the specific evolutionary algorithm employed as the search strategy. Unlike prior surveys—which either treat evolutionary methods at a high level or focus on general NAS pipelines—this study is, to the best of …

A Revenue-Driven Approach For Enhanced Task Utilization In Vehicular Cloud Computing, Ashish Singh Saluja, Satyabrata Das, Sanjib Kumar Nayak, Sohan Kumar Pande

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Vehicular networks support intelligent transportation through vehicle-to-roadside Units (V2R) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication but face challenges from dynamic topologies, limited RSU coverage, and bandwidth scarcity, which impact service delivery and revenue. RDA-ITU addresses these challenges by integrating V2R and V2V paradigms to maximize RSU revenue, enhance service availability, and improve system efficiency. It dynamically allocates services based on real-time network conditions and vehicle mobility, leveraging V2V relays to optimize both RSU-direct and cooperative communication. Through extensive simulations, RDA-ITU significantly outperforms four baselines: RBSM, VVMM-U, VVMM-LW, and VVMM-MA. It achieves 81.1% higher total revenue, 154.8% more completed requests, and 103.6% higher …

Class-Aligned Frequency Augmentation Using Variational Mode Decomposition Forfew-Shot Image Classification, Leila Boussaad

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Few-shot image classification benefits from data augmentation, yet most existing methods operate in pixel space with limited control over spectral semantics. We introduce a lightweight, frequency-guided augmentation strategy based on Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD). Our method constructs an offline, per-class ModeBank by decomposing downsampled luminance patches and retaining midband modes that encode class-specific texture patterns. During episodic training, VMD is never executed online: instead, for each support image, a same-class midband mode is selected and blended using PSNR-targeted scaling with a luminance energy cap, ensuring perceptual consistency. The augmentation is fast, reproducible, class-consistent, and integrates seamlessly into standard metric-based pipelines …

Cybersecurity Governance Of Industrial Iot In Sub-Saharan Africa: Policy Gaps, Threat Landscape, And Lessons From Comparative African Contexts, Faztudo Languisse Eng.

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The rapid deployment of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) systems across Sub-Saharan Africa's extractive, energy, logistics, and agro-industrial sectors has introduced a cybersecurity challenge of growing urgency: industrial networks that were designed for operational efficiency are increasingly exposed to cyber threats for which neither the organizations nor the regulatory frameworks are adequately prepared. This article examines the cybersecurity governance of IIoT systems in a developing African economy, using Mozambique as a primary case study and drawing comparative lessons from South Africa, Rwanda, and Kenya. Through an integrative literature review and documentary analysis of national digital, cybersecurity, and industrial policies, the …

Feasibility Of Using Untreated And Treated Rice Straw Fibers As A Modifier For Hot Mix Asphalt, Aditya Chowdhury

Civil Engineering Theses

Flexible pavements are subject to progressive deterioration driven by repeated traffic loading, environmental exposure, and material degradation, which causes distress. This study presents an integrated research framework that combines laboratory performance evaluation of rice straw fiber (RSF)-modified hot mix asphalt with machine learning-based pavement distress prediction to advance sustainable pavements. Three plant-produced HMA mixtures were modified with untreated and alkali-treated RSF at dosage levels of 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% by total mixture weight. FTIR spectroscopic analysis confirmed that alkali treatment induced significant chemical modifications to the fiber surface, increasing hydroxyl group availability and enhancing fiber–binder adhesion. Alkali-treated RSF consistently outperformed …

Incorporating Increased Road User Costs Into Pavement Management Modeling: A Case Study Of Two-Lane Rural Highways, Khaled A. Abaza, Mohamed S. Yamany

Faculty Publications

The impact of increased road user costs on optimal pavement rehabilitation plans has been investigated using a simplified pavement management model. The increased road user costs include elevated vehicle operating costs (VOCs) due to work-zone lane closures and traveling on severely deteriorated pavements. A model is proposed for estimating the VOC for work-zone lane closures on two-lane rural highways, considering both stopping and idling costs. Another model for approximating the increased VOC associated with driving on poor/bad pavements is suggested as a function of the relevant VOC rate and a proportionality factor. Sample results are presented for a two-lane rural …

Fuel Tank Seismic Stability Program-Informed Displacement Maps Of Portland's Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub, Ana Tijerina Esquino

Dissertations and Theses

Oregon's Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub in northwest Portland contains a large portion of the state's liquid fuel storage and distribution capacity and is located in an area susceptible to liquefaction and earthquake-induced permanent ground deformation during a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. Initial Seismic Vulnerability Assessments submitted under Oregon's Fuel Tank Seismic Stability program provide valuable facility-specific information, but the assessments vary in subsurface characterization, treatment of fine-grained soils, ground motion selection, and deformation estimation methods. This variability complicates interpretation of regional seismic risk and motivates a consistent corridor-scale analysis.

This thesis develops CPT-informed displacement estimates for representative cross sections …

Multifunctional Engineering Of Manganese Malate For Supercapacitors, Krithika M Ms

Theses and Dissertations

Supercapacitors are promising energy storage devices owing to their rapid charge-discharge capability and long cycle-life. Based on the charge storage mechanism, supercapacitors are broadly categorised into electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), pseudocapacitors and hybrid capacitors. In this work, manganese malate (MnM) is systematically developed as a versatile electrode material for supercapacitor applications through rational synthesis, textural engineering, compositional modification, phase transformation and sustainable resource utilisation.

In Chapter 2, MnM was electrodeposited onto stainless-steel foil via chronoamperometry at 2, 3 and 4 V. MnM electrodeposited at 2 V (MnM2) exhibits a specific capacitance of 186 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 with …

Signal And Substance: Why Methodological Sophistication Fails To Guarantee Inference, Aamir Rashid, Rizwana Rasheed

Publications and Research

Despite increasing analytical sophistication, empirical research in organization studies continues to suffer from fragile inference, uneven theoretical accumulation, and contested credibility. This paper seeks to explain why these problems persist by shifting attention from authors’ methodological choices to the evaluative dynamics of peer review. Adopting a conceptual and theory-analytic approach, the paper theorizes peer review as an inferential gatekeeping system. Drawing on research design, theory evaluation, and philosophy-of-science literatures, this study develops an analytical framework to examine how evaluative routines shape what constitutes empirical rigor during the review process. The analysis identifies five recurring reviewer blind spots: inferential scope inflation, …

The Arching Analysis Of Rigid Inclusion System Using Cohesive Fill For Load Transform Platform, Ramy Mohammed Mohammed Khalil, Amr F. Elhakim

HBRC Journal

Rigid Inclusion System (RIS) is one of the economic systems for improving highly compressible soil by increasing the bearing capacity of foundation soil and reducing settlements. This system consists of a load transform platform (LTP) with or without geosynthetic reinforcement (GR) membrane resting on an arrangement of piles. The LTP redistributes the fill embankment load so that a higher percentage of load is transferred to pile by arching that leads to a reduction in the settlement of the foundation soil. Many analytical, numerical and experimental studies to model arching within LTP using cohesionless fill are summarized. This paper presents an …

Fatigue And Healing Performance Of Asphalt Materials Modified With Nanomaterials And High-Polymer Asphalt Binders, Samuel M. Addai

Theses and Dissertations

Fatigue cracking is one of the primary distress mechanisms affecting asphalt pavement durability under repeated traffic loading and environmental aging. Although asphalt binders possess an inherent ability to heal micro-damage during rest periods, this healing capacity is often insufficient to fully counter progressive fatigue damage under field conditions. This thesis investigates the fatigue and self-healing behavior of asphalt binders and mixtures modified with nanomaterials and advanced polymer-based systems. Nanomodified binders were evaluated using Linear Amplitude Sweep (LAS) and Linear Amplitude Sweep with Healing (LASH) tests within the VECD framework to quantify fatigue resistance and healing behavior under different rest periods …

Influence Of Peristalsis On The Hemodynamic Analysis Of Magnetohydrodynamic Jeffrey Fluid In A Two-Layered Narrow Channel, N. Lavanya, G. Ravi Kiran, M. Varun Kumar, K. Rajyalakshmi

Mansoura Engineering Journal

In this paper, an analytical study of MHD-influenced hemodynamic of Jeffrey fluid during peristaltic transport in a two layered narrow channel is presented, a phenomenon that has substantial ramifications for microcirculatory dynamics in the cardiovascular system. The model assumes a Jeffery fluid in the core area to encapsulate microstructural phenomena, including viscosity fluctuations, whereas the periphery area is treated as a Newtonian fluid. The governing equations for both regions are simplified and analytically solved under the long wavelength approximation. Using MATHEMATICA, a numerical investigation is carried out to examine the influence of various parameters, such as the magnetic parameters, amplitude, …

Investigation Of Energy Efficiency Of An Autonomous Mobile Photovoltaic-Thermal (Pv/T) System With A Polycarbonate Absorber, Sanjar Kodir Ugli Shoguchkarov, Anvar Rakhmat Ugli Rakhmatov, Rushana Husen Kizi Abdullaeva, Orazbek Maratbay Ugli Temirbaev

Technical science and innovation

This study analyzes the enhancement of energy efficiency in photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) systems, which enable the simultaneous generation of electrical and thermal energy from solar radiation. The research focus is an autonomous mobile unit based on multi-channel polycarbonate heat collectors with a hydraulic diameter of 8 mm, characterized by their lightweight nature and superior corrosion resistance compared to conventional metal absorbers. Experimental investigations were conducted at the solar testing field of the Physical-Technical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan under extreme continental climatic conditions to determine the system's stable thermophysical indicators. The results demonstrated that active water cooling using …

Understanding The Role Of Entropy In Designing High-Performance Thermoelectrics, Subrata Ghosh, Soongyu Kwon, Wenjie Li, Dipika Mandal, Amin Nozariasbmarz, Marcia Ahn, Sumanta K. Karan, Allison M. Beese, Yi Xia, Shashank Priya, Bed Poudel

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The design of high-entropy alloys is effective in lowering thermal conductivity but often reduces carrier mobility, thereby limiting electrical transport properties. Understanding the relationship among configurational entropy, thermal conductivity, and carrier mobility in high-entropy alloys is critical for enhancing thermoelectric performance. We demonstrate that a systematic and substantial increase in configurational entropy in half-Heusler alloys leads to an asymptotic reduction of lattice thermal conductivity. The reduced phonon group velocity and enhanced phonon scattering induced by atomic-scale chemical disorder result in a low lattice thermal conductivity of 2 watts per meter per kelvin at room temperature, with an achievable minimum of …

Comprehensive Study On Explainable Artificial Intelligence For Enhanced Decision-Making, Eman Taher, Wessam H. El-Behaidy, Doaa S. Elzanfaly

Computer Science

Artificial Intelligence (AI) models are often criticized for their black-box nature, particularly in high-stakes domains such as finance, healthcare, and business decision-making, where transparency, accountability, and trust are essential. As machine learning advances with more complex architectures, including deep neural networks and ensemble models, the need for explainability becomes increasingly critical. This study focuses on Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) as a key approach to enhance interpretability in classification, regression, and clustering tasks that serve as the foundation of data-driven analytical systems. XAI methods such as SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations), LIME (Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations), and Integrated Gradients provide a means …